Acetylene-generator.



P. G. SANFORD.

ACETYLBNE GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 001 22, 1900.

965,949. v Patented Aug. 2, 1 910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1'.

rue NORRIS PETERS cm, wAsHnmTON. o. c.

FRANK C. SANFORD, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

ACETYLENE-GENERATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 2, 1910 Application filed October 22, 1908. Serial No.459,036.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK O. SANFORD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, haveinvented a new and useful Acetylene-Generator, of which the following isa specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensiveacetylene generator in which the water shall be utilized to cool the gasand which, after the calcium carbid and water shall have been placed incontact, shall be automatic in its action, means being provided forlowering the carbid to the water or raising the water to the carbid, andvice versa, in starting or stopping the generation of acetylene gas.

With these and other objects in view I have devised the novel acetylenegenerator of which the following description in connection with theaccompanying drawings is a specification, reference characters. beingused to indicate the several parts.

Figures 1 and 2 are vertical sections of my novel generator,illustrating variant modes of placing the carbid and water in contact.

10 denotes the main or outer reservoir for water, preferably cylindricalin form, the lower portion of which, indicated specifically by 11, is ofreduced diameter for a purpose presently to be explained, and 12 denotesan inner reservoir which is open at the bottom and is partly submergedin the water.

The carbid is carried by a rack or grid 13 in the inner reservoir, apassage 14 extending from the upper portion of the inner reservoirthrough the wall of the outer reservoir being provided for supplying thecarbid. I have shown the outer end of passage 14 as provided with aflange 15 and the passage as closed by a cap 16 which is secured to theflange by a suitable clamp indicated by 17. The reservoir is providedwith a petcock, indicated by 18, in order to enable the operator topreserve a uniform water level.

In the form illustrated in Fig. 1, the grid is made vertically movablein the inner reservoir in order to enable the operator to lower thecarbid to the water. The grid is suspended from a frame 19 having at itsupper end a nut 20 which is engaged by a screw 21 shown as inclosed in atube 22 which is rigidly secured to both the inner and outer reservoirsand extends upward through the top of the outer reservoir, the top ofthe tube being closed by a screw cap 23 through which the rod passes,packing, indicated by 24, being placed within the cap to prevent theescape of gas. The upper end of the screw is provided with a collar 25which rests upon the cap and with a hand piece 26 for convenience inoperation. 27 denotes a vertical guide strip at one side of the innerreservoir which is engaged by the grid to prevent rotation of the gridwhen the screw is rotated to raise or lower the grid. 28 denotes a gaspipe which leads from the upper portion of the inner reservoir as at 29.This pipe is coiled downward about the inner reservoir to the bottomthereof, the maj or portion of the coils being immersed in the water,and then extends upward through the water and outward through the outerreservoir to the place of use, the special use to which the gas isapplied being wholly immaterial so far as the present invention isconcerned. By passing the gas from the inner reservoir through the coilsand the vertical portion of the pipe, the gas is thoroughly cooled bythe contact of the water in the reservoir with the pipes.

In use, the reservoirs are filled with water to the required level andthe grid is raised and supplied with carbid through passage 14, which is,then closed. In starting, the screw is rotated to lower the grid withthe carbid thereon into the water. Gas is at once formed, which fillsthe upper portion of the inner reservoir and passes out through pipe 28.The operation of the generator in use is wholly automatic. So long asall the gas formed is used, the water level in both reservoirs will notvary to any great extent. As soon, however, as an excess of gas isformed over the amount required, pressure of gas in the inner reservoirwill force the water in the inner reservoir downward raising it ofcourse correspondingly in the outer reservoir against the air in theupper portion thereof which is air tight and capable of standing all thepressure that can be generated within the apparatus, so that the air insaid upper part of the outer reservoir forms a cushion. As the water isforced downward in the 111- ner reservoir Withdrawing the water from thecarbid, the formation of gas will lessen and will cease entirely as soonas the water is forced away from the carbid. As soon as the surpluspressure in the inner reservolr is overcome by the use of gas, the aircushion which has been formed in the outer reservoir will actautomatically to raise the water in the inner reservoir and as soon asthe water reaches the carbid the generation of gas will again commenceand the water in the inner reservoir will be again forced downward awayfrom the carbid. Just as soon, however, as gas is generated in excess ofthe amount required for use, the pressure of gas in the inner reservoirwill again force the water in the inner reservoir downward away from thecarbid and will either lessen or wholly stop the generation of gas, thisautomatic rise and fall of the water in the inner reservoir continuingso long as gas is being used and insuring a practically uniform gaspressure in the pipe. When gas is no longer required, the grid is raisedby means of the screw away from the water and the genera tion of gasceases. A cal-bid is decomposed by the water, the residuum dropsdownward through the grid, the live carbid on the grid dropping downwardand taking the place of the decomposed carbid on the grid as theresiduum passes through. The residuum drops downward through the Waterin the inner reservoir and into the water in the lower portion 11 of theouter reservoir, from which it may be removed through a passage 30leading from the lower portion of the outer reservoir and shown in thepresent instance as provided with a flange 31. The passage is closed bya cap 32 which is retained in place by a clamp in the form illustratedin Fig. 2, instead of lowering the carbid to the water to cause thegeneration of gas, I raise the water in the inner reservoir to thecarbid, the automatic operation of the generator being the same asbefore. In this form, the screw and frame are dispensed with and thegrid is rigidly se cured in any suitable manner in the inner reservoir.The raising of the water in the inner reservoir may be produced eitherby air pressure or by water pressure, means for producing both airpressure and water pres sure being shown in Fig. 2. 3st denotes aconnection at the top of the outer reservoir for the attachment of anair pipe, the con nection being provided with a suitable valve operatedby a hand wheel indicated by To start the generation of gas, the valvein the connection is opened and air is forced in, the effect of which isto force the water in the outer reservoir downward and to raise thewater in the inner reservoir, the pressure being continued until thewater in the inner reservoir is in contact with the carbid. The airpressure is then shut 0H and the operation of the generation of therequired amount of gas proceeds automatically as before.

If preferred or if the application of water pressure is more convenient,a water pipe may be attached to a connection 36 at the lower end of themain portion of the outer reservoir. This connection is provided with asuitable valve operated by a hand wheel 37. To cause the generation ofgas through the application of water pressure, the valve in connection86 is opened and water pressure is applied through said connection, theeffect of which is to raise the water in both reservoirs. The air in theupper portion of the outer reservoir forms an air cushion and insuresthe raising of the water in the inner reservoir in which the pressure isrelieved by the use of gas, the generation of which commences as beforeas soon as the water in the inner reservoir comes in contact with thecarbid on the stationary grid, the operation of the generator as soon asthe generation of gas commences being automatic as before.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An acetylene generator comprising an outer reservoir for water, aninner reservoir open at its bottom and arranged to be partiallysubmerged, a tube rigidly connecting said reservoir, a grid locatedwithin said inner reservoir, an operating rod for said grid mounted insaid tube, a laterally extended supply pipe leading from said innerreservoir through the outer reservoir, a closure for the same, and a gaspipe leading from said inner reservoir.

2. An acetylene generator comprising an outer receptacle, an innercylindrical receptacle having its lower end open, a tube concentricallyand integrally formed in the top of said inner receptacle, and extendingthrough and rigidly connected to the outer receptacle, a lateral supplypipe integrally formed near the top of said inner receptacle andextending through said outer receptacle, a gas pipe leading from saidreceptacle, a carbid-grid vertically movable in said inner receptacle,and having an internally threaded collar, and a threaded operating rodcoacting with said collar to elevate or lower said grid.

3. An acetylene generator comprising an outer receptacle, an innercylindrical receptacle having its lower end open, a tube concentricallyand integrally formed in the top of said inner receptacle, and extendingthrough and rigidly connected to the outer receptacle, a lateral supplypipe integrally formed near the top of said inner receptacle andextending through said outer receptacle, a gas pipe leading from saidreceptacle, a

carbid-grid vertically movable in said inner receptacle, and having aninternally threaded collar, a threaded operating rod ooacting with saidcollar to elevate or lower said grid, and a feather vertically arrangedupon the inner surface of said inner receptacle to prevent rotation ofsaid grid.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, 1n presence of tWo Witnesses.

FRANK C. SANFORD.

Witnesses:

A. M. WoosTER, S. W. ATHERTON.

